The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-10-08

ticed the stump of cigar in your en-
gers as you came in, and your clothes
are filled with the odor of tobacco.
How long have you smoked?"
1.-TWO years or more" he answered,
looking resentfully at the gentleman,
though he had the grace to blush.
my boy, do you know yea are SOW
ing the seeds of misery?"
1T rests me to smoke"
"Rests you! All, poor child, l might
preach you long sermon, tell of the
blighted lives, ruined nerves, and
| empty pockets, but forbear. My lad,
learn lesson. throw it away before il
is too late. I'll excuse you now.'
The boy went out in a staggering.
Indifferent way muttering something
about taking away mans liberty"
Pityingly, Mr.. Lord saw him depart.
The next boy was clean and pure to
! look at, and handed his recommends
ton to Mr.. Lord in a very self-satisied
way. The gentleman, with the scene
of the morning fresh in his mind, even
when he read the complimentary
words, written by his own minister,
could not say eyes" to such an appli-
cant. He had no doubt of his fine
scholarship, and his general appear
ance was greatly in his favor, but, he
said: ''Herbert, / came down on car
No. 7 this morning and witnessed a
little scene that you will recall. l adj
yertsed for gcntlemanly lad. I'll
excuse you, now.
With hot cheeks, he departed.
The next was boy with fine face,
but not as well grown as the others,
and with no recommendation except a
note from his mother. Mr.. Lord read:
''Dear Sir: We are strangers in the
city. l know of no one who, with this
short notice, can recommend my boy.
A mother may be partial in her judg-
ment, but he IS Il good boy, and you, if
you will take the trouble, can learn of
his scholarship. viii you please give
him chance to learn trade that has
great attractions for him? We have a
case in the house, and he can already
set type quite rapidly. His father was
printer. Excuse this long note and
oblige. Yours truly, NJ. A. Graham. y
"Well, a mother ought to know he
said to himself, and as his eye took in
the air of responsibility that pervaded
the dress of the boy, he realized that
unless supplanted by new, it would
soon become very shabby; and he re-
called the time when his own mother
came to the city with her small children
and the disappointments that he, her
oldest child, had met with, before he
gained foothold in the seething tide
of humanity that surrounded the I'M
sophisticated youth.
'If you can give us little time, sir,
mother will write to our old home, and
get the names of parties who will give
me recommendation.
my boy, advertised for a gentle
manly lad, and of that | have had in
disputable evidence already, and the
examination l will now give you will
settle the question of scholarship.
Every thing else I'll take on trust, feel
ing confident that | shall not be de-
i ceived.'
That evening Mrs. Atkinson, when
discussing affairs with an acquaint-
ance, said
Il can not understand the luck OF
some folks. Herbert went to the edi-
tor of the Bee this morning, and was
only the second boy there" Eyes, my
boy got there first" interrupted the
other. ''and he had letter from one OF
Mr.. Lords own friends And my
boy" broke in the first speaker, "had
u recommendation from our minister,
and even then Mr.. Lord took shabby
little fellow, Herbert says, who doesn't
know any body in town. Such luckH'
Was it luck, boys?-Ned Gum, IN s.
S. Times.